In response to the request from the management of the Rivers State Cassava Factory, Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has agreed to invest additional funds in the factory to produce flour that meets international standards.
The Governor provided this assurance during his visit to the processing factory located in Oyigbo Local Government Area on Thursday to assess the level of achievement with the initial investment made by the state government in the factory.
He explained that the team managing the factory had requested support to complete two more production lines, thereby increasing their capacity to churn out more products.
The Governor stated, “I received a request from the individuals managing the cassava processing plant, indicating the need for our support to complete two production lines. This will provide them with a standard to supply their products promptly to numerous distributors requiring items from this plant.”
“I felt it would be appropriate for me to inspect what we have already invested, the current stage of progress, to encourage us to offer support,” he added.
Governor Fubara emphasized that the purpose of the visit was to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing production line. “From what I have seen here today, it is truly impressive. I can assure them that we are going to provide financial support to ensure that all production lines are completed. This is to encourage them to engage in full-scale supply of the product with international standards worldwide.”
The multi-billion-naira Rivers Cassava Processing Company Limited was established by the administration of former Governor Nyesom Wike in partnership with the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Vieux Manioc BV of the Netherlands, and the Embassy of The Netherlands in Nigeria.
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This significant agricultural investment was founded on the premise that Nigeria is the largest cassava producer globally, accounting for approximately 20 percent of total production worldwide. Despite the high domestic demand for cassava and its constituents, the supply has shown a gap, falling short of meeting the substantial demand.
The Rivers State Government then declared that the establishment of the factory was a means of reducing the state’s overdependence on oil, asserting that the state would only own a 10 percent stake in the company. This approach aims to enable optimal operation, recognizing that businesses run by the government are often unsustainable.